Capturing Venice Captured my Heart

My excitement peaked as I looked out my train window and could no longer see land but beautiful teal blue water. As soon as I stepped out of the train station I was greeted by the Grand Canal and the San Simeone Piccolo which had a beautiful teal dome that matched the color of the canal. When we got onto the water bus to get to our next AirBnb, we were packed like sardines but I managed to claim a window in the back. As the water bus made its slow way down the canal, I stared in awe at the architecture of each building and just couldn’t get over the fact that it’s all on top of water. Again, it didn’t seem real and I felt like I was on some kind of Disneyland boat ride! There was so much beauty and character and it truly felt like time had stopped for this city. I instantly fell in love with Venice.

Biennale Arte 2017 – Giardini and Arsenale

I was so fortunate to have been able to attend The Biennalle Arte 2017 in Venice. The 57th International Art Exhibition, titled Viva Arte Viva, was so inspiring and one of my favorite parts of this trip. I was able to visit the Giardini and Asenale venues and I wish I had more time for both. I think sometimes it’s easy to rush through a museum or art gallery and rush to each piece, take a photo of it and go onto the next one. To me, this art exhibit was like none other I’ve ever been to. I felt like it was a wonderful journey and I wasn’t forced but willing to take my time and be open, appreciate, and experience the art even if I didn’t understand it. I guess it’s the mindset going into it, but I am really impressed by how it was organized, how it all flowed and came together and told a story. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see every single piece and spent half a day at each location. I would have needed several days to really take the time I wanted! I did not know how much modern art there was in Venice and I love the contrast of this historic setting and modern art that was everywhere.

At the Giardini, the installations were remarkable and thought provoking. Before reading the piece’s description or artist’s bio, I got a sense of the artist’s experience even if I didn’t know the intentions for the piece. I loved the variety of impact and the range of emotions that I went through. It was a bit of sensory overload, but still exciting. My favorite pieces here were these two rows of opened books and an outside garden that had a single empty chair in the middle. The open books were blank except for different colors of watercolor around the edges. It was pretty and calming and gave me a sense of wonder and hope like I was ready to write my own destiny in these colorful pages. The outside garden had walls covered in beautiful vine leaves that created this repetitive and organic texture and had a blend of green and autumn colors.

I thoroughly enjoyed the art at the Arsenale and letting the experience unfold. I love how art can take your mind to other places and just make you think and reflect. Throughout the exhibit I wondered what the artist might have been thinking when creating the art piece and I tried to break down what the art piece made me feel. I didn’t really look at the map that showed what art or artist was where—I just let the art lead me down a hallway or through a door or behind a curtain. It was really an experience not only looking at the art but letting your curiosity go at the same time. There was so much art but I think the piece that stood out to me the most was this macraméd tee-pee. People walked around it, but when I got to it there was a sign that said you could enter with your shoes off. I immediately took my shoes off and entered! I liked how it made me want to stop and reflect and just sit there for a bit looking at it all. It was incredible how the artists were able to transform large and small spaces and create a different environment. It was just so hard not to go up and touch everything! (side note–I should really look into visiting interactive museums..)

Murano-Burano

Next up was a tour to Murano and Burano! I get motion sickness really bad and am stupid sensitive on boats so I was fearful for the 30-minute boat ride to these islands, but surprisingly I was good and so glad we did this. I am laughing to myself because my favorite city in Italy so far is Venice and all transportation is pretty much by boat—I’m not sure how I would do if I lived here. Our tour guide told us that there are certain speed limits and boats have to go slow close to the island to reduce waves that cause erosion. When we got to Murano, we stopped at the New Murano Gallery and got a glass blowing presentation on how their glass cups were made. I was fascinated by the materials used and having to mix colors to get a certain color and the process of it. After the presentation, we got to check out the gallery which was truly amazing. I was bummed we were not able to take pictures or videos inside. There were these amethyst chandelier and sconces that were calling to me! It had a floral theme with beautifully detailed leaves and flowers. It was a deep purple which almost looked black, and there was a red tinge in the glass in the areas that had the light bulbs. It was so beautiful. Everything was, I wish I could show you! After the gallery, we had a break so my husband and I took short walk to the water. We left the gallery and walked through a neighborhood that had these lovely gardens. I decided to see how my camera did with macro shots. I love this little camera and the Sony E 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS lens. I am really happy with how the flower pictures came out.

f/5.6   |   1/250   |   ISO125   |   70mm

f/5.6   |   1/250   |   ISO125   |   70mm

Burano is the cutest little town/island. Each house had a vibrant paint color—it looked like a Dr. Seuss painting that had come to life! Our tour guide said supposedly, each house was painted with bright colors so fishermen could find their way home in the fog, but others say it was so the drunk husbands could find their way home :). I learned that homeowners actually had to send a request to the government to be able to repaint their house, and there are only certain colors that are permitted for that section. Not only is Burano known for its vivid and colorful houses, but a leaning bell tower, and lacemaking. It only took minutes walking to each end of the island and this place was so uplifting and cheerful! I am obsessed with the colors and oh my gad, the doors, shutters, walls, were amazing. I wanted to take a photo of each house front. I love walls with character.

Exploring

I let my eyes wonder and my feet wander. I really did fall in love with Venice’s unique beauty and character. I loved how picturesque the architecture of the buildings, and the bridges and boats reflected off the canal waters. I found that every alley was beautiful to photograph here as well. You can see the aged buildings and exposed brick which I thought was beautiful. I went nuts on so many photos of discolored walls and exposed brick! It’s like you can feel all the time that went by in this city.

I was really sad to leave and couldn’t believe my big Italy trip had come to an end. We had a boat taxi pick us up at 4am to make it to our 6:30am flight. It was still pitch black and there were only a few people out. It was hard to imagine that there were hundreds of people out and about just hours earlier. The early morning was peaceful as we stood there. I watched the reflections of the street lights dance along the water. I heard the low rumble of a boat go by and just thought of everyday life that locals lived by. Everything was by boat—garbage, goods, produce, etc. A couple days earlier I had seen people renovate a section of a building and all the rubble was put on a boat. Our taxi finally arrived and even though it was chilly I stood up as we slowly made our way out of the canal. The buildings on both sides of the canal were beautifully lit by lampposts. The illuminated bridges were stunning as we passed under them. The different glows of the lights and barely anyone one around made it even more magical and special. I am captivated by the lifestyle, aesthetics, and rhythm of Venice.

Capturing Florence – A Different Vibe of Italy

Not long after leaving the platform, my train window transformed from awesome graffiti walls to rolling greenery. The view was mesmerizing and it was easy to get lost in thought. Even though it was an hour and a half train ride from Rome to Florence, it felt like I teleported. Florence was still incredibly busy, but there was less hustle and bustle than Rome. Florence had a warm and friendly vibe and I couldn’t wait to explore the home town of Michelangelo!

The first stop was the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo’s David. I’ve seen tons of pictures of the statue of David and have heard from others about how amazing it is, but it is truly an experience seeing it right in front of you. It’s hard to believe that this used to be one giant block of marble. At almost 17 feet tall, this statue towered over my 5’ 2” self and all I could do was admire the work and process to create it. Sure, he’s a bit nakey, but I think the craftsmanship and the way Michelangelo chooses to depict David overpowers that fact. Not to mention he was commissioned for this piece at just 26 years old! I love how he pushed the boundaries with his art during his time at such a young age.

It has been debated whether Michelangelo chose to capture David the moment before or after facing Goliath. Our tour guide said it was the moment before as he pointed out the concentration in his eyes and the tense muscles in his torso and throughout his body to convey the emotions he must have been going through. It's just uncanny how he was able to create so much detail from something that was a block of marble. You can also see the different textures of the marble and how white it is. I was blown away by the level of detail like the veins and human anatomy that Michelangelo was able to portray and the moment he decided to capture.

Florence Cathedral

The Florence Cathedral’s exterior was unreal. It almost seemed fake like it was a made-up backdrop or I was walking up to the "It’s a Small World" ride. The architects that designed this beautiful structure was Arnolfo di Cambio, who started it and Filippo Brunelleschi, who designed the dome. It took two centuries and a series of architects to complete the work. The architecture of the Duomo is incredibly detailed and ornate. The interior was fascinating and also contained several works of art and stained glass. Most of the images were shot in the Hand-held Twilight scene setting, but I should have tried Anti-Motion Blur since most of the images were indoors.

The Ponte Vecchio Bridge

From the cathedral to the Ponte Vecchio bridge were beautiful corridors. Some were narrow and had an awesome old timely feel. Along the way is also the place where the via dei Georgofili bombing occurred right behind the Uffizi museum. You can see the old brick and the new brick showing the damage done. Once on the bridge, both sides were lined with incredible jewelry shops. Padlocks scattered the bridge and were mostly attached to the rails around the statue of Benvenuto Cellini. Supposedly, lovers that would lock a padlock and throw away the key meant they would be eternally bonded. I was so ready to custom engrave a padlock and place one here until I did a bit of research on it. I read that it is basically littering and the locks would eventually get cut off to keep the bridge from getting weighed down. Bummer.

I also started to play with the manual settings! Still getting a hang of it, but I had a little more time to change the settings in the bridge images below.

f/8   |   1/100   |   ISO 100

f/6.3   |   1/60   |   ISO 100

Wine Tasting

Under the Tuscan sun! I couldn’t visit Florence and not go wine tasting. Just 20 minutes out of Florence the roads started to go up and down and the views were spectacular. You could see miles of vineyards, orchards, or farms well into the horizon. During several stretches of road, olive trees were lined up on both sides and went on for what seemed like miles. The first stop was Castello Vichiomaggio. Their view overlooked vineyards and rolling green hills and I believe I used the Landscape setting for the Landscape shots. All their wines were lovely, especially the Chianti, but my favorite wine here ended up being a Rosé and I just had to take a photo of the beautiful pink color. I love how the light reflected off the glass and the wine! 

f/10   |   1/125   |   ISO 100

The second winery was just a few minutes away called Tenuta di Nozzole. You had to walk down a flight of stairs to enter and you were greeted by hundreds of oak barrels full of wine. As I walked past the barrels knocking on the oak, I could hear how full they were. Around the corner were rows and rows of wine bottles both very old and new. I walked carefully through them in fear of bumping into one stack and creating a domino effect of wine bottles! My go to camera setting was Hand-held Twilight. After tasting several amazing wines, it was time to go to the third winery. Walking back up the stairs and into daylight was an adjustment, but I quickly ran to snap a photo of the sun starting to go down.

The last stop was Diadema D’Amare where I got to see where they did their packaging. It was interesting to learn about how well a wine label could do based on their marketing and packaging design. I’m not sure if it’s the designer in me, but I’ll admit I will sometimes pick a wine or any product really based on their label. The restaurant here prepared a lovely family style dinner of several different Italian dishes and the tour ended with shots of this lemony-sweet liquor. Our group said “Alagocha!” (which our Italian guide taught us) and my husband and I took it like a shot not knowing you’re supposed to sip it!

Florence Street Nuggets

There was always something that caught my eye walking around the streets of Florence. Whether it was the architecture, random graffiti, or old and new artworks, I found a composition and story in everything. I found color, interesting angles, lights, reflections, and took pictures of objects that seemed like people walked past without a thought. There was a surprise around every corner. I tried to soak in as much as I could and I’m sure I missed something! I absolutely loved Florence. I’m so glad we got an AirBnb apartment in the middle of Florence and got a chance to experience how it was to live there for a few days and feel like a part of the people and culture.

f/4   |   1/60   |   ISO 2500

Capturing Rome - A few days of art, tours, and exploring

Rome - Day 1

After a long day of travel, my husband and I finally arrived in Rome!! It was pretty crazy seeing old ruins surrounded by modern streets and city life on our drive from the airport to our hotel. When got to the hotel our room wasn't ready yet so we decided to drop our luggage off and head to the Trevi Fountain since it was just 2 minutes away walking distance. I was a bit overwhelmed with the afternoon crowds and the lack of sleep did not help. It took a minute to get past the reality of so many people, and trying to get a good selfie was not happening! After about 45 minutes of the Trevi Fountain and wondering around aimlessly, we went back to our hotel and thankfully our room was ready.

Trevi Fountain

After a much-needed shower and nap, we grabbed a couple cocktails from the rooftop terrace and headed back to the Trevi Fountain to try and get some night shots. The crowds were still just as big, but with a snack and some rest we were not as hangry. The Fountain was a sight to see! The massive sculptures were dramatic and beautiful and you can almost feel this sense of history in the air. I tossed my coin already with hopes of returning soon! Still new to using the Sony a6300, I played with the Scene settings first and used the Night scene and Hand-held Twilight setting. I am very impressed with this camera! It was exactly what I wanted for this trip. The shutter is super-fast for on-the-go photos and the video quality is amazing.

Trevi Fountain at night

Now it was time to head out for some real food. Just right off one of the main streets we found La Prosciutteria and a had a huge charcuterie board and a bottle of red wine. The food was delicious! People I know who have traveled to Europe have told me the food will never be the same at home and after my first bite, I can see why they would say that!

Feeling full and tipsy, we made our way to the Spanish steps and found ourselves at the top. Halfway down the steps there was a good size crowd sitting and listening to a guy playing his guitar singing Jack Johnson covers. At the bottom of the stairway I got several shots angled up at the steps. I continued using the night scene settings since I thought the photos were coming out great! I decided to take a seat and do quick sketches and some gesture drawings. It has been awhile since I just sat down in a public setting and quickly drew what I saw without thinking and not caring how it looked.

View from the Spanish Steps at night

Sketching the Spanish Steps

Rome - Day 2

It was an early morning start to meet our tour guide for the Vatican Museum. Thankfully, we booked our tour in advance for a smaller group and got to cut the line. It was well worth it! Our tour guide was incredibly nice and you could just tell he enjoyed his job. He was very knowledgeable about the history and passionate when talking about the art. Our first view after entering onto a balcony was Saint Peter’s Basilica, which was closed unfortunately. Our tour was supposed to include that, but instead, we got to check out other rooms that were not open to the larger public. Before we went further, our guide talked about the famous Sistine Chapel.

I learned so many great nuggets about Michelangelo that I never knew (or may have forgotten from class!). I did not know Michelangelo refused to paint the Sistine Chapel because he considered himself a sculptor and not a painter and he eventually accepted the job for more money. I also learned about his self-portrait in the flayed skin of St. Bartholomew in “The Last Judgement.” I also thought it was interesting that he painted the forbidden fruit as figs instead of an apple. And! It was mind boggling that he painted it all himself (looking up and NOT laying on his back) and only had help creating the frescoes!

We continued the tour and entered room after room of sculptures, paintings, and tapestries. It was a lot to take in! I couldn’t believe the level of skill and the outcome of these masterpieces. I loved learning about how each art piece told its own story and has its own meaning and message. Art historians would figure out who the subject matter could be based on different attributes, characteristics, and what was written in archived documents. It was interesting to see the different styles of the artists, what they preferred, and how it was created. A lot of the art was influenced by who commissioned the art piece and what they wanted to portray, but you could still see the artist’s hand. I felt humbled being around so much art from great artists.

In the evening, we met another tour guide for an intimate VIP night tour of the Colosseum with a group of just 3 couples. This included a proper Italian dinner on the roof top of the Hotel Forum with a balcony that overlooked the imperial forums. The view was spectacular and the food was delicious!  After dinner, we visited the forum and got a short history lesson. It’s incredible to see these ruins and just imagine what life was like all those years ago.

View from the Hotel Forum rooftop

We walked to the Colosseum and marveled at its sheer size as we got closer and closer. Seeing the Colosseum at night and lit up with the lights shining through all the arcs was just magical. I’m not going to lie, I felt very special entering through the gates with no people and crowds around. We walked inside and started to see the interior. I felt so pumped like we were about to go into battle! I could not believe we were standing in the middle of the amphitheater looking out into the stands imagining the gladiators and the different people and classes of Imperial Rome that would make up the audience. Russell Crow ‘Gladiator’ quotes were definitely running through my head! We continued the tour to the lower level where gladiators would have waited for their turn and where slaves would have worked. We saw tiny cages where exotic animals like lions and tigers were kept until they were hoisted up with elevators and would enter the arena through a trap door. The ingenuity and architecture is a marvel. It’s hard not to be in awe, but at the same time this iconic and beautiful structure was used for brutal and gory entertainment. I’m overwhelmed by this stark contrast and it was a bit eerie walking through dark hallways, but it was still such a great experience and I highly recommend the night tour. Despite being today’s everyday background in the middle of a busy metropolitan area, the Colosseum gave off a vibe and energy that was definitely unique. This structure that only took 8 years to build has pretty much lasted for 2,000 years and has gone through different uses, earthquakes, and turning black from air pollution is unbelievable. I asked our tour guide what his favor part about the Colosseum was and he said looking up at it from the outside. I just thought, wow, here is our guide that is obviously knowledgeable in the Colosseum’s history, but he still has the same reaction to it as I do.

Colosseum

The arena

With how the tour went and not having a tripod, I definitely wasn’t prepared with what Manual settings to use, so I used the Hand-held Twilight setting which worked perfectly! I was surprised that the images had very little noise and blur without using a tripod and in such low light. I thought the image processing to reduce blur, camera shake, and noise was really fast. I was also happy with the colors.

Rome – Day 3

Rome was an experience to remember! Before we said farewell, I got to take more pictures walking around. Every alleyway was just an amazing photo. I enjoyed the architecture, the details of the windows, and doors and how the streets create a vanishing point. I’m still working out the Manual settings and getting comfortable with the Sony a6300, but overall, I’m happy with the purchase. As this trip continues, I’m hoping the quality of my photos will get better and better. So far Rome has been epic, but now we took a train and are off to Florence! More to follow and more photos will be added to my FaceBook page!

Art, Italy, Travel, and More!

Ever since my art history classes in college years ago, it has been a dream of mine to visit Italy. I was fascinated by Italy's artistic cultural heritage and art innovations in painting, sculpture, and architecture. A long awaited opportunity finally came up to travel to Rome, Florence and Venice and I leave tomorrow! I cannot wait to explore the center where great artists came from, a place that influenced art movements, and where many art fundamentals and techniques I use today were developed. Art history did not end up being my major, so this trip will be very educational and hopefully more so inspirational. I believe art documents the world around you and it is very clear to see that in Italy’s rich history and culture.

Inspiration has been lacking lately so I am definitely hoping for a creative spark and getting back into it when I come home. To get the creativity going, I thought my first Italy trip would be a great way to kick off my first blog and share my time in Italy from an art perspective. I have my list of museums and attractions to see and I have a deep appreciation for where different styles of art came from and how it evolved.

To help document and capture my experience, here are some essentials I will be taking with me:

• Sony a6300 – I did not want to bring my larger and heavier DSLR so I am bringing this compact and powerful mirrorless digital camera. I have not used it yet and I will let you know how it goes!
• Sony E 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS lens
• New 10.5” iPad Pro
• Sketchbook
• Laptop

I invite you to take this new adventure with me on my blog and follow me on social media! Ciao!